NVLAP - Laboratory Accreditation

The Help America Vote Act (HAVA) of 2002 Section 231 requires EAC and NIST to develop a national program for accrediting voting system testing laboratories. On June 23, 2004, NIST published a Federal Register notice announcing the establishment of this program under the National Voluntary Laboratory Accreditation Program (NVLAP). In June 2005, NIST/NVLAP announced the availability of applications for the voting systems program in the Federal Register.

The purpose of the Voting System Testing laboratory accreditation program (VST LAP) is to accredit Voting System Test Laboratories (VSTLs) to conduct testing of voting systems and components, providing a measure of confidence that such laboratories are capable of performing testing to meet the requirements of HAVA. VSTLs will provide testing services for core voting requirements and may subcontract requirements that are not voting-specific. VSTLs will use tests and test methods from the 2005 Voluntary Voting System Guidelines (VVSG, version 1.0), including test methods incorporated by reference (e.g., electromagnetic compatibility).

Laboratories that achieve NVLAP accreditation are eligible for recommendation by NIST to the EAC. The EAC will then decide whether to certify the recommended testing laboratories as EAC-certified VSTLs. The EAC may add additional criteria as part of their process.

More detailed information about NVLAP and its Voting System Testing Program can be viewed at the NVLAP homepage.